


Blink

by Lady_Origami



Series: The Sky Weeps [1]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Brotherly Bonding, Coffee, Comfort, Coping, Dissociation, Emotionally Repressed, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hopeful Ending, Hot Chocolate, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, Other, Panic Attacks, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-02-28
Packaged: 2019-11-04 21:08:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17905676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lady_Origami/pseuds/Lady_Origami
Summary: When Five blinks, sometimes he's back in the world of ash and embers. It's hard to remember how to breathe when that happens. In which Klaus tries to play the role of supportive brother with Ben's help, and Five struggles more than he lets on.





	1. Ashes to Ashes

**Author's Note:**

> Five's PTSD visions should have gotten an actual scene about people being oh I dont know...CONCERNED, other than him batting Luther away twice and calling it a day. I know he's distant and very guarded, but it was stressful to watch him go back to that apocalyptic nightmare every so often. Poor guy...how hard it must be for him especially. I think Klaus and Five's dynamic is very interesting and really liked it in the show. I think because Klaus technically experienced war in a way that he would be able to see the trauma it in Five, who carries it by the boatloads.

It always starts when he blinks.  
  
Well, maybe it’s dissociation. Or maybe it’s something worse, like being somehow stuck between two realities because he messed up his jump. Sometimes when Five blinks, the world in front of him changes. It twists back into the place full of ash and smoke. Of fire and blood. Of isolation and madness. He sees the cracks of destroyed earth in front of his feet, and when he stares forward it simply continues until he can’t see through the dense fog of destruction. Rubble stacked in piles, and a smog that never disappears. It’s hot all the time.

He hates the heat.

All he can do is stare is disbelief at the apocalyptic scene before him. He feels the dust on his fingers and the dry air coating his skin and leaving dust along his palms. He feels the soreness in his throat when he swallows because the smoke is thick and suffocating. But most of all, Five feels the loneliness drift back into his bones. It's an ache that never leaves him. An entire life of isolation, of loneliness, of madness. He licks his lips. They feel chapped and cracked with the dry air but his eyes never stray from the wreckage in front of him. He needs to remember this but he doesn’t know why. All he knows is that he’s back in the rubble and he needs to leave. He can’t be trapped here again, not when he had worked so hard to get back. Not when he could actually do something right for once.

_“Five?”_

It’s a whisper, a muffle of a voice. It comes from a place he doesn’t know, but its sounds muffled as if it’s underwater. Five doesn’t know how there could even be water in such a hellscape such as this. There’s dirt beneath his fingernails, he hates that. He hates that so much.

He wants some coffee.

_“Hey. Heyo. Buddy. Five.”_

The voice is familiar but…

The world was going to end. He doesn’t know why he feels the need to remind himself when he’s standing in the very consequence of the event. He’s back. It’s already ended. It’s already too late. The bodies of his family are still there buried in the rubble, their faces white with concrete dust and ash. He knows where they are, he knows where each of them died as a sign of his failure. Of his selfishness. His arrogance.

Why did he go through an entire lifetime of this suffering if it wasn’t to make a difference in the past? Why is he back here? Was it all a dream? A delusion he had conjured in his mind the entire time as a way to pass another day in this world of pain and agonizing loneliness?

God please, he can’t be back.

He doesn’t want it.

He doesn’t want this.

The fear in his veins thrum like a poison, his throat tightening in panic. It’s so hard to breathe because of the air. A hand tries to lift itself to his neck, but he finds himself frozen and unable to move. He’s frozen, staring straight ahead at the end of the world. His own breaths are becoming more difficult to continue as he contemplates another day on this ruined planet.

He wasn’t strong enough anymore to keep continuing.

It was for nothing, it was all for nothing.

“Shit. Hey buddy, c’mon eyes on me!”

Something cracks in the reality around him. Five blinks and instead of ash and nothingness, there’s Klaus. Klaus with dark and uncharacteristically concerned eyes that are focused right on him. He blinks once with glassy eyes, a recognition suddenly hitting him like a tidal wave. The environment all hits him at once, a sound of a long forgotten familiarity slamming into his ears. It's quiet, a soft creek of wood, the muffled sounds of a city. There's no burning crackles of a untamed fires or the undeniable smell of a rotting corpse. It's just, home. He’s at the mansion. His siblings are alive. Klaus is standing in front of him. The world hasn't ended yet.

He’s not back there.

“You uh, you in there?” Klaus says with a tight grin, watching as rapid perception suddenly enters the shorter sibling's eyes.

Exasperation and anger slowly flares up in his stomach.  It’s a familiar feeling, comforting. Leave it to his siblings to not understand the consequences of what’s about to happen in a matter of days. Klaus has been somewhat of a help to him, though it’s all lead to dead ends anyways, so it’s not as if it matters in the first place. He can't be embarrassed or afraid if he's angry and exasperated. It was just much easier that way.

“Five, you’re sorta freakin’ me out pal and honestly that’s pretty impressive because you’re already really...really weird. You good?” Klaus says with a nervous smile, squeezing Five’s shoulders lightly.

That’s of course, when Five notices that Klaus is touching him.

He panics. He doesn’t know why.

His hands automatically move to slap his brother’s hands away from his person. He hates people touching him, he didn't want it. Touching is a level of trust and no one deserves or earns his trust. Not even his siblings. Not anymore. He doesn’t want paltry comforts, or juvenile sympathy. He isn’t a kid.

He isn’t a kid, but he feels so _small_.

For reasons he doesn't understand, his voice won't cooperate with him and he doesn’t know why. He’s very articulate. He’s always managed to hold onto his emotions fine, and this wasn't an exception. It shouldn't be an exception. His jaw clenches tightly and teeth grind together in helpless frustration.

“Okay okay! No need to always get fussy. Here I am, a concerned brother just playing his part and this is how I’m treated!” Klaus whines, quickly retracting his hands and holding them up in a quick sign of surrender.

Five numbly notices that the other is in that strange black leather coat again. He likes that better than the dumb sleeveless olive jacket the other was wearing before. This one has a lot of fur or something on the collar. It’s honestly probably some sort of fashion monstrosity he supposes, but with Klaus nothing ever seems out of place. The man always somehow seemed to fit into his world. And being inside of the world, meant being outside of the box.

He doesn’t know why any of that matters in the slightest when the end of the world was knocking on his door.

“I guess I’ll just leave you alone to do your vague celestial universe-balancing mumbo jumbo then. I read you loud and clear, though it wouldn’t kill you to take a day off. Have a kiki, kick your tiny little feet back and relax.” Klaus sighs exaggeratedly in a way that his whole body sags, as if Five saving the world was somehow an inconvenience.

Actually, taking a day off would kill him. And the entire world.

So, there’s that.

Small particles of cinder and flame start falling from the ceiling, landing on Klaus’ shoulders and the wooden floors. An orange glow begins to grow in the dim room, and Five wonders blankly if the bells chiming his death are real or just in his head. When he blinks, the world that meets him is once again the ruined streets of rubble with a never-ending sky. He feels faint with despair.

_“Hey. What’s up with you?”_

Five likes logic. Logic is the foundation he does most things on. Equations. Traveling. Fighting. He supposes wanting to save the world for his siblings however is not logical. That’s an emotional response. He himself couldn’t care about dying anymore. Not after the life he’s lived. And yet, the panic he feels now breathing in the dying flames of a ruined world seem to tell him a different story.

Not again. Not again. Not again.

_“Uh, hey…”_

He doesn’t want to die. But he isn’t strong enough to continue living where the air is like smog and the heat blisters his skin.

His hand moves to cover his mouth. It’s trembling. His legs crumple and he falls onto the ruined earth harshly, his knees taking the brunt of it. Darkness seizes him like a physical vice. It clutches at his shoulders tightly, voices screaming and tumbling in his ears. Screams of the people he's killed, screams of the ones he hasn't killed but will if he doesn't figure out how to stop the apocalypse. 

It’s hot. It’s so hot.

Five wonders if he wants to die.

“Come back to me. Hey.  Hey, hey, Five, come back to me. It’s okay. It’s okay.” the voice speaking to him again.

Klaus.

He’s staring at the floor when the darkness clawing at him slowly turns into a touch. Arms wrapped around him tightly, one running down his back, the other at the back of his head, softly tucking his face in the crook of his brother’s neck under his chin. The coat smells like a bizarre mixture of rain, perfume, and nicotine. Five wheezes in an inhale, breath hitching in a failed attempt to breathe. His body is trembling and his knees ache. It’s hard to breathe. The rubble and ground is back to hardwood flooring when he blinks again.

“It’s okay. It’s okay Five.” Klaus coos, oddly genuine and caring in the wake of Five’s breakdown. “You’re here. With me. You’re safe. You’re safe here, okay?”

He’s safe here.

Five doesn’t know what to say. He is by every account, mortified. His trembling hands move up to wrap around Klaus’s neck in a sad attempt for a hug, desperate for something to ground him in the present. There’s a haze over his mind right now, like a cloud obscuring his rational thought. It's just panic. Panic at the thought of having to relive that past life all over again. Panic that this isn't real. Panic that he was never given a chance to begin with and this is all in his mind, because what if they were all right? What if it's just in his mind and his pride damaged his sensibilities? Messing with time and space came at a price, but which one was he paying for now? He had already suffered so much, so very much. Wasn't it enough? Hadn't he done his work and paid his dues?

Klaus stiffens in clear surprise at the action. It’s out of character, it’s not logical. And yet, Klaus doesn’t hesitate to tighten the embrace around him, and a broken sob tumbles out of Five’s mouth as he buries his head into Klaus' shoulder.

“Okay. Okay no-hey-hey…no it’s okay.” Klaus stammers, clearly bewildered at this unexpected vulnerability.

He just doesn’t want to be alone anymore.

He doesn’t know how to be around other people anymore. He’s impatient and rude. He’s smarter than them, the things he does are so much more important than they could ever understand. And yet, he can’t be alone again with his thoughts right now. Just the thought cripples him with fear and like a real child, he clings to his brother tighter. He needs someone to hold him together just for a minute, then he’ll go back to saving the world, calculating universal tangents, and making the hard decisions no one else can possibly make.

The sitting room is quiet besides the choppy exhales of his crying. He can’t remember the last time he had shed tears. After years of blood and isolation on his hands, a numbness settles over the despair. It’s replaced with snark and cold calculation. With cynicism, and work.

With learned apathy.

Maybe it’s because he’s back to being a child again that he isn’t able to get a hold of himself anymore.

They sit like that for a bit, a hand running soothingly along his back and petting strands of his hair. He feels detached from his own body in a strange way, like he's not actually there in the moment. There’s movement, and he’s lightly pulled away so they can look at each other. He’s disoriented, the vivid harsh truths of these emotions draining him like a battery being leeched of energy. Klaus meets his eyes and Five is again surprised by the genuine concern there. One of the man’s painted nailed fingers reach up to cup at Five’s chin, a thumb swiping away tears he hadn't known he shed on his cheek.

The genuine care, the kindness, it makes him angry. Feeling vulnerable like this makes his skin crawl. He’s about to lash out, and he knows it shows as he stiffens in shame, but he doesn't know how to get a handle on his emotions when too much of himself has already been shown to the other man. This wasn't something he could just plaster a cocky smirk over and leave like any other moment.

“I didn't know you had PTSD.” Klaus mumbles, removing his hand from Five’s face.

“I don’t.” Five responds curtly in kind, not willing to talk about anything he experienced in lengthy detail.

“I’m pretty familiar with it, surprise, I know. Hate to break it to you but I’d recognize that thousand-mile stare from anywhere. I just didn't…really think about it, but I guess you of all people would have it the worst, huh?” He murmurs, rubbing the lingering tear moisture between his fingers in friction, looking at his hand in a solemn contemplation.

“No. Five retorts sharply, shaking his head in anger as he attempts to untangle himself from Klaus’ presence, staring stubbornly at the floor. “And don’t you dare think about saying a word of this-“he starts.

“Hey. Look at me, would’jya?” Klaus asks with a strange tone, Five automatically meeting his eyes and rising to the challenge.

They stare at each other, the silence of the room feeling somehow loud in itself. Klaus sighs that same ever dramatic sigh, shifting into a sitting position on the hardwood floor. He reaches out a hand towards Five and Five bats it away harshly in an instant.

“You always do that. Ive never seen Luther slapped so many times until he tried to give you his ole’ comforting paw.” Klaus smiles, but there’s a soft understanding there that makes Five’s blood boil.

The hand reaches out again, and once again it’s slapped away, harsher this time.

“Don’t.” Five barks out a warning. “So help me Klaus, I don't have time for your games.”

The other shakes his head, looking down pensively at his hand. There’s an unspoken sorrow in those eyes that see the dead, and Five has the strange urge to apologize. He wants to say it’s not Klaus’ fault, it’s just he doesn't understand what it’s like to be a human being anymore. He doesn't apologize though, because that would indicate guilt. He doesn't need to feel guilty. They can just move on from his and forget it happened. Klaus surprises him by lashing out quickly this time, in an almost aggressive manner. Five is faster though, and swats away the hand in angry alarm. This time however, the other doesn't relent and quickly closes his hand around Five’s wrist firmly.

“Stop trying to push everyone away Five. Why do you always do that, huh?” Klaus asks, a lopsided smile forming tightly on his lips. “You think you gotta do all of this important shit; which yeah it's pretty important I'll give you that. But what? You can’t even afford to give yourself a fuckin’ break? Just a little breather? You're shaking like a leaf on the floor.” he laughs a bit, but its incredulous in nature. 

He doesn't know what to say to that. All of this weird family care and bonding is a little too late as far as he’s concerned and he just doesn't have time. It was already a gigantic mistake to not have had a handle on himself, and to be so vulnerable in front of someone else...how could he possibly come back from that? His legs feel weak, and Five wonders why his heart feels like its bursting out of his chest. It's still so hard to breathe normally. 

“Okay I didn't mean it like that-just-Look look look, why don’t you…” he trails off lost, the look in his eyes growing desperate and his grip loosening on the other's wrist. Five yanks it back towards his chest.  “Just sit down on the couch and get comfy and I’ll get you coffee or something. You like coffee! Yeah? That sounds nice!” Klaus says with a hopeful smile and a forced nonchalance.

He could go for a cup of coffee.

Five lets the silence ring out as he contemplates the offer. He averts his gaze to the floor before murmuring out a soft “Yeah. Coffee.”

Klaus looks overwhelmed with relief. Whether it’s so he can ditch Five as quickly as he can because he didn't sign up for a sudden breakdown, or because he’s actually relieved he can help is to be determined.

“Okay. Okay! Fantastic just you-just-wait there and I’ll be right back. Don’t move okay? Don’t move, the coffee will be amazing!” the man sing songs as he quickly scrambles to his feet.

Five halfheartedly shrugs, not taking his gaze off of the floor.

“Can’t you just stay and watch him or something? Like-and yell if something happens because frankly, I’m freaking the hell out here about what’s going on man okay! So if you could just support _me_ in my attempts to be a responsible and caring brother for once, that’d be great. You’re all about that after all-You know what, sometimes your sass is just very unsupportive…”

Five listens blankly as Klaus talks to himself or someone else, before his voice fades out as he exits the room. He doesn't make a move for the couch, instead choosing to shift off of his aching knees into a proper sitting position. He pulls his knees towards his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs and tucking his forehead to the crook of his knees.

He takes in a shuddering breath and waits, wondering why he hasn't just left yet.

He blinks.

And he waits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This won't be a very long fic I don't think, but I'd really appreciate feedback and comments if you enjoyed the start <3 :') Umbrella Academy isn't very known just yet and it's fun to contribute to a new growing fandom! I'm not exactly an experienced writer but I couldn't resist since there is such a lack of fics for this fandom so far! I just want them all to be okay, but especially Five and Klaus. Thank you so much for reading!


	2. Dust to Dust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Klaus tries to make hot chocolate.

Never let it be said that Klaus was an idiot.

Well, okay so maybe he was an idiot. But never let it be said that he was ignorant! With an entire lifetime of disappointing his so-called father and never living up to his expectations, Klaus understood a small thing called anxiety. His special power basically engrained it into him after all.

Instead of nurturing him into a calm sense of security as a child, he was thrown into a mausoleum where the screams of the dead haunted him for what seemed like centuries. The trauma from just that one moment in time as a child still wakes him up in a cold sweat. His never-ending failures and inability to control his oh so special powers turned him into some different coping mechanisms. Drugs, alcohol, raves, and a general sense of not giving a fuck.

Ben helped him the most through his panic attacks though. Ben helped him through withdrawals and through his lowest days. Hell, even random strangers he took to bed who experienced their own need to escape reality understood him.

But who had ever been there for Five?

And that is the thought that is running through his mind as he waits for coffee to percolate in the kitchen while Five is hopefully still in the same room Klaus left him in.

He runs an anxious hand over the scruff of his facial hair, running a tongue over the front of his teeth.

“Do you really think coffee would be good for him right now?” Ben asks to his left, crossing his arms and eying the doorway in concern.

“You know, I asked you to go watch him.” Klaus says in light exasperation. Hey, it’s not like he had wanted to leave Five either, he just needed some time for a game plan!

“Klaus.” Ben frowns, the concern in his voice palpable.

“I know. I know okay? I’m just-wow. This is fucked up.” Klaus exhales, tapping a finger anxiously on the table. “I had no idea. I mean I’ve never-“ he cuts himself off with a light laugh. “I have never once seen him that way. Not even when we were kids! Like what am I supposed to say? Sorry you apparently lived an entire lifetime of trauma and not a single person was there for you?” he grins, feeling his heart crack just saying the sentence out loud.

No one had been there for him. He was just a kid. Klaus couldn’t even fathom what a kid had gone through in that timeline when there was nothing there to want, to feel, to understand. It would have only been about how to survive. He knows the feeling of being alone, but not even he could imagine the world being entirely silent. Having not a sound in response to your voice. To be truly and utterly alone. And Five was just a kid when this happened, it’s no wonder he has no idea how to even fathom compassion from others. It’s no wonder he slaps hands away that want to help when he can only see it as a weakness from himself.

It’s no wonder he is so afraid to even hope it could be different.

“You know what? No-yeah no-fuck the coffee.” Klaus grimaces, aggressively fumbling for the power button on the coffee machine.

He maneuvers around the kitchen, ransacking a box of hot chocolate mix from the cupboards as he thinks about the past minutes. In retrospect, this wasn’t the first time he had seen Five with that blank expression on his face. The first time was in the car, and Luther had practically smashed open the window in frustration. It had taken the kid awhile to respond but he seemed to have had no issues berating them both, so Klaus had thought nothing of it.

He should have known better really.

“Not that it’s my damn job.” He laughs to himself, putting fingers to his temples.

He was not cut out for this shit.

Five even as a kid had been smart, brilliant really. When younger he still had seemed to be distanced from most of them, though apparently Vanya was an exception. That alone had fucked with his head, Vanya of all people? Klaus wonders if Five had been here, then maybe things wouldn’t have gone to such shit with their family. At least maybe they would have been together for a longer time. The kid always had a witty retort or a scathing comment though. Even on a mission, he was collected and focused. Easily a league above most of them. He hated showing any sort of weakness. He had never seen Five cry in the entire time he had lived with him.

Not until today.

Klaus sucks in sharp breath through his teeth, waiting for the milk to heat over the stove top.

“You’re really concerned about him, Klaus.” Ben murmurs in slight disbelief, watching Klaus impatiently walk around the kitchen.

“You act like that’s a bad thing!” Klaus smiles tightly in response, whirling around on his heels to face his dearly departed brother. “I’ve never, and I mean never, seen him act like that, okay? So I’m just-yeah I’m just feeling a little concerned! Cosmic balance my ass, that look he had…” he trails off, recalling the empty hollow eyes he had seen Five had just moments before.

“Those are not the eyes of someone who wants to live.” He murmurs to himself.

The silence feels thick in the kitchen and he exhales a shaky breath, clearing his throat loudly just to break up the lull. He can’t help but fiddle with the rings on his fingers before he turns his attention back to the hot chocolate.

What really upsets him is how much he's genuinely concerned for Five. It isn’t as if their family hadn’t been anything but toxic and dysfunctional. He doesn’t owe anyone anything, especially not concern. All of his siblings treat him like garbage and never take him seriously. Is that fair? Well, maybe it is. Okay yes, it’s fair, but siblings are supposed to be supportive family members. They are supposed to help each other when things get hard. Luther was up playing space cowboy, Alison left to be famous and live a perfect little life. Diego plays Robin from Batman when he’s in the mood, and Vanya high-tailed it out as soon as she could.

Not like he could blame her.

Everyone had their own little life to live while Klaus wandered for years and years, lost to so many terrible coping methods. Why hadn’t anyone even tried for him? Why should he give a shit?

“Because Five has no one Klaus, just like how you used to feel at times.” Ben replies sadly, moving to sit on the kitchen counter.

“What-are you a mind reader now too?” Klaus says with a shaky laugh.

He grins, but it feels cracked. It wobbles and he blinks back emotion as he stirs in the hot chocolate mix with a spoon. He runs a hand down his face, breathing in deeply. Family was shit, but maybe he didn’t have to be one more thing to add to Five’s growing list of disappointments. Not this time. Tapping the spoon on one of the mugs for a moment, he gives a begrudging smile as it clinks loudly against the china. Five is going to be so pissed it’s not coffee. He grabs both mugs, making his way down the hallway with quick steps. He expects one of two things, either that Five warped out of the room as soon as Klaus left, or that he is waiting expectantly for a cup of coffee on the couch.

He didn’t expect him to still be on the floor with his forehead resting against his knees.

“Hey uhhhh when I said don’t move, I didn’t mean like-don’t move at all. Figured you were smart enough to at least make yourself comfortable.” He greets cheerfully, ignoring the immediate speed up of his heart in worried anticipation.

Five doesn’t answer, just pulls his legs a bit tighter to his chest.

“Okay…okay.” Klaus murmurs, quickly moving to plop the mugs onto the table before making his way over to Five.

He tentatively crouches down, trying to see if he can spy the other’s face to no avail.

“Can you look at me short stack?” Klaus asks hopefully.

Five huffs out some sort of scoff in response. Okay, that’s something at least. Klaus was thankful he was at least somewhat coherent.

“I brought you coffee!” he chirps with enthusiasm, hoping the fib would at least get Five to get out of this strange state of unresponsiveness.

No response.

“Five.” Klaus sighs, edging closer to the other and moving into a kneeling position. “C’mon pal I made it just for you. We can gossip on the couch and bitch about how bad it tastes.” He says softly, trying to be encouraging.

Ben looks solemn as he stands nearby, and Klaus tries to remember if him and Five had been somewhat close back in the day. They were certainly the most intelligent of the bunch. He briefly recalls soft conversations at night after curfew but everything else is hazy.

“Give him a hug Klaus.”

“He doesn’t like those.” Klaus whines back in response.

“Just do it!” Ben snaps, crouching by Five with broken eyes. “Please, if anything just do it for me then.”

“Hey…” Klaus starts in bewildered concern, but finds himself at a loss of what to even say.

Five’s departure from the family had been so unexpected. There were so many things that happened, so many things left unsaid. Klaus wonders if there’s too much distance between them to even bridge that gap anymore. He leans forward anyways, wrapping his arms around his brother’s back, one automatically moving to rest along the other’s hair. Five surprises him once again today by not saying a word, but reciprocating the hug softly. It’s an awkward gesture, and Klaus feels his heart break into little pieces as he feels Five hesitate several times before fully committing to wrapping his arms around Klaus back even if it’s loose and tentative.

“I didn’t think you were the huggy type.” He forces a smile on his face.

“I’m not.” Five mumbles back into the material of his coat, voice faint. “It hate it.”

He sounds exhausted Klaus tightens his grip just a bit in protective instinct.

“Okay well, I totally hate it too so guess we’re both losers in this little rendezvous.” Klaus answers, running a hand down the other’s back.

He absolutely doesn’t hate it. He doesn’t think Five does either. In fact, he thinks Five is more confused and a whole lotta touch-starved but now isn’t the time to delve into that conversation.

“Okay, up we go!” Klaus chimes after a moment, moving into a standing position.

He takes Five’s small hands and guides him to stand up along with him, ushering him over to the couches. The other still refuses to make eye contact or to look his way at all, and it’s driving him up the wall with uncertainty. Once Five is sat down on one of the overly embellished couches, Klaus plucks one of the mugs on the table and pushes it softly into his hands. He takes a seat right next to him on the same couch, grabbing his own mug and trying not to blatantly stare at the other. Five doesn’t make an attempt to drink out of the mug yet, just cradles the drink in both hands as if he’s letting the domesticity seep into his bones.

“This isn’t coffee.” He says after a lengthy silence, staring down at it blankly.

“Yeah no shit, but it’s better than coffee anyways.”

“It’s not good for his nerves to have that now anyways.” Ben interjects in approval.

“Yeah, it’s not good for your nerves to have that now.” Klaus parrots with a grin, taking a large gulp of his own and nearly burning half of his tongue.

This didn’t seem to be the right thing to say, surprise surprise. Klaus can say he usually says the right thing about 9% of the time. He watches with light interest as Five clenches his jaw and turns his head to stare angrily at a shelf or something. Away from him. Once again, Klaus doesn’t know why the other won’t look at him.

“Nerves? Is that important?” Five asks faintly, as if mulling over the question.

Klaus straightens in the seat in slight disbelief at the challenge. “You’re uh-you’re kidding asking that right or? Because you sort of just-“ he fumbles, gesturing grandly with the hand towards the area Five had a panic attack, not that the other could see.

“You don’t need to act like you fucking care.”

“Now hold on just minute there buddy, you shouldn’t fucking swear, it doesn’t sound right!” Klaus grins, feeling giddy with nervous anticipation. “You can’t tell me not to care, I’m your dear older sibling!”

A mug goes flying, shattering against the wall into shards with a crash. Five stands up, his outstretched arm limply falling back to his side and clenching into a fist. He starts to walk away, though his gait seems unsteady. And Klaus? Well Klaus doesn’t even know what the hell just happened.

For some reason he feels angry.

“Hey! That’s really fucking rude you know, I _made_ that for you!” Klaus whines, sloshing some of his own cocoa on his pants as he hastily gets up and sets it on the table.

 Five doesn’t stop walking away.

“Klaus.” Ben urges suddenly, but Klaus doesn’t know why Ben says it in such a desperate tone.

He looks over to him, and sees Ben is in front of Five staring the other down.

“Klaus!” Ben shouts desperately as Five gets further away. “Do something!”

For the life of him he doesn’t understand what is happening, but he rushes to catch up to Five and lurches for the other’s arm. He latches onto Five’s forearm tightly and pulls the other backward. Clearly not expecting resistance, Five stumbles over his own feet as he rotates with the momentum. He freezes, body tense at the contact before looking up at Klaus.

Oh.

Dilated and glassy green eyes stare up at him as tears roll down his cheeks. Five’s eyes are red-rimmed but his skin is waxen and pale.  As he blinks, a fresh wave of quiet tears trail down his face, though he seems unaware of his own state. He’d been silently crying this entire time and Klaus hadn’t even known.

He doesn’t know if Five had even known either.

“Oh, oh shit you’re in shock.” Klaus whispers in light epiphany.  “Wait okay-that’s-come here. Come here Five.” He urges politely, tugging Five closer to him.

Five tries to tug his arm out of Klaus’ grip but like hell if he was letting go this time. Not this time.

“I’m not in shock, you just don’t fucking understand. I don’t have time for this.” Five mumbles desperately, he’s still unsteady on his feet.

Klaus thinks if Five really was in his right mind, he’d just warp out like he usually did when he felt his time was being wasted on his siblings. The fact that he isn’t only helps bolster Klaus’ confidence to take charge of the situation.

“No! No no no-I think you definitely need a little bit of a siesta-yeah, so why don’t you just be a good little brother and let big bro Klaus take care of you for a hot minute okay? Okay. Peachy, we’re all stupendous right? Right…Right.” He rambles nervously, feeling panicked at the state his brother is currently in.

“Klaus, I don’t need someone to take care of me. Do you get that? Are you an idiot?” Five shouts in frustration, his breaths coming in faster. “I don’t want it.”

“Don’t-would you just-“Klaus sucks in a rushed breath through his teeth.

“No. No! I won’t, because I didn’t ask for you to care!”

“I’m not an idiot for wanting to do _right_ by someone for once in my goddamn life!” Klaus snaps, sick of all the emotional whiplash he’s receiving just for trying to do something good.

“ _Yes_ you fucking _are_!” Five screams back vehemently, wrenching himself away from the other.

Klaus freezes in shock at the utter venom behind Five’s words. The only noise left are their breaths echoing throughout the room, taking up the thick tension of the moment. He stands helplessly by as Five closes his eyes and hangs his head, hugging himself.

“I didn’t _ask_ for you to care.” Five exhales shakily, moving the back of a pale hand to swipe across his forehead, which Klaus knows will come back with a clammy sweat. “God I didn’t ask for you to care, I don’t-I don’t want it! Let me do what I need to do, and then everything can just go back to how it was.” He replies sharply, challenging Klaus’ gaze.

It doesn’t have the effect it should have though. Red rimmed eyes that are unseeing but desperate to fight like a cornered animal only rises the urgency to help. Klaus wonders how much hurt Five had to go through to get to this point. To not even want people’s help, to not even understand the concept of receiving kindness and genuine concern. Five was back from literal Hell to save them from an apocalyptic future, so why didn’t he understand how to receive care back? Why didn’t anyone reach out to do right by him? Even now when he’s back from being gone for so long, where was everyone? Why was everyone just content to go their own way still even now when they needed to be together to help each other? He knows he’s guilty of always going his own way and doing things at his own pace. He knows he’s not a prime example of goodness or selfless behavior.

But he wanted to try. Couldn't that be enough?

“Fuck. That.” He responds, his voice barely a whisper as he chokes back the emotion in his throat. “Just-fuck all of what you just said Five. Seriously, that can go to Hell.” He says with a laugh, though it sounded more like the beginning of a cry. “Maybe I don’t want it to be like it was, huh? Ever think about that? Maybe I-maybe I want to be someone better too. Maybe I want to help and be good. Maybe I want to hug you and to fucking make you hot chocolate. So too fucking bad, you’re not going to stop me from doing that!” he says, his convictions growing stronger with each passing word.

Five stands in confused disorientation in the wake of Klaus’ word, his eyes struggling to keep focus.  

“I don’t understand.” Five murmurs in a dazed disbelief, as if the concept does not and cannot apply to him.

“I don’t give a shit man! We’ll figure it out together or whatever, but god Five please-I swear I’m not going anywhere. I have to help okay? Just-just let me help.” Klaus pleas, moving forward again to hesitantly rest his hands on Five’s shoulders.

The boy blankly looks down at one of the hands touching him and back up to Klaus in dazed confusion.

“I really don’t understand.” He mutters once more, sounding bitter.

“I know…and god I’m so fucking sorry Five. I’m sorry you don’t get it anymore but-” Klaus says, choking back the tears as he pulls the other in for a light hug. “We’ll figure it out, I promise.” He whispers, blinking rapidly and exhaling to get a grip on himself.

“I really wish you’d stop fucking touching me.”

Klaus doesn’t listen to that request.

He gently ushers Five out of the parlor and up to his own room. Sure, it might be a disaster and more than a bit of a mess, but it was lived in. It was his own little pocket, his own little haven. Five wasn’t going to go out and get a hotel, or go to Vanya’s, or do whatever the hell he did. He was going to be in a room that was lived in, that was cozy, and just learn how to breathe again.

Five remains silent and uncharacteristically complacent as they make it inside, Klaus shutting the door behind them. Unthinkingly, he has Five take off the stiff blazer and replaces that with his own jacket, draping the black coat over the other’s form. He pulls the covers back of his unmade bed, haphazardly trying to smooth and straighten the sheets.

“I’m not sleeping in your bed.” Five mutters blankly.

“You’re absolutely sleeping in my bed.” Klaus says sweetly, raising his eyebrows up and down in a playful waggle.

“Klaus.”

“This isn’t a suggestion~” He sing songs, trying to press his authority as much as he can before Five realizes he doesn’t need to actually put up with any of this bullshit.

Once again, this only confirms his brother isn’t in the right state of mind.

Five shakes his head, making him sway a slight on his feet. Klaus wastes no time in guiding him over to the bed and pressing on his shoulders to get the other to sit on it. He yanks one of Five’s feet upwards, getting the other to fall backwards onto the bed with a confused yell. He tugs off his brother’s stiff uniform shoes, wondering if he can find something else for Five to wear later.

“There! That’s better. Feeling comfy yet?” he smiles, tugging the sheets over Five’s form.

Five watches Klaus fuss around him with confusion and Klaus can see the perspiration on his brow. Without thinking, he moves a hand to rest upon it, dismayed at the clammy feel. He fluffs the pillow and tucks the sheets around his brother’s frame a bit more, feeling the concern already at the surface and bubbling over.

“How about you uh-you tell me about sandwiches?” he asks distractedly as he pushes some magazines and pieces of clothing off of one of his chairs, dragging it over to the side of the bed. “Vanya left out sandwiches for you? She never did that for me, how inconsiderate!” he complains playfully, taking a seat on the chair.

Ben is seated at the edge of the bed, solemnly staring out the window.

“I really failed her.” Five murmurs, almost inaudibly.

They both look over at him.

Klaus feels his heart ache. It wasn’t right, hearing Five say these things and laying it all bare. He wasn’t in his right mind and he’d never say this at any other time but during a low when he wasn’t coherent. He wonders if he’s taking advantage of this, but he also knows he doesn’t want to be anywhere else except here by his brother’s side.

He watches Five curl on his side, plucking idly at the pillow case. “If I had just been here. If I had just been here maybe she wouldn’t…She wouldn’t have had to leave me sandwich ingredients every night in the hopes that I’d show up. She wouldn’t have been alone.” he trails off, shuddering down a shaky inhale.

It’s not enough, a lone tear rolls down his cheek anyways and seeps into the pillow.

“She wouldn’t have to feel so alone now.” He whispers.

Klaus closes his eyes, bringing a hand up to his eyes and rubbing them lightly as he tries to wipe away some of the forming tears in his own. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster today, and he wants to weep at how much pain is being pushed down and locked up from Five. He was putting the literal weight of the world on his shoulders and trying to bear responsibility for everything. No kid that age should sound that broken, and though Five isn’t technically a child, Klaus can’t help but imagine that he still is in a way, a kid. To grow up alone without anyone. To grow up only knowing how to survive, but not to live. What sort of things did one learn out there? Who was he to talk to? To learn from? To experience life with? How did one experience life at all when it was a fight for survival?

How did Five find something to keep himself going? What did he live for? Klaus feels like whatever it was, it wasn’t this.

“Klaus?” Five asks hesitantly, Klaus quickly looking up.

“Yeah! Uh-yeah, bud?” he responds, clearing his throat and giving an encouraging smile.

Five shifts onto his back, the covers rustling slightly around him as he looks at Klaus.

“I’m sorry for leaving.” He whispers, reaching out one of his hands as if to rest it over Klaus’s own.

He hesitates, then retracts it to rest back on the bed. Klaus swallows down his disappointment.

“What, your lone-wolf missions? It’s cool short stack I mean-I get it. You have the balance of the galaxy or something to fix or-something…so that’s a-I mean, that’s a pretty big job.” He retorts nonchalantly, leaning back in the chair and slouching into a more relaxed position as he lets his head fall back limply.

“No I…for _leaving_.” Five repeats again. “I wanted to be here, you know that, right?”

Klaus opens his eyes and his gaze meets the ceiling.

“That wasn’t your fault.” He corrects Five quickly, not liking where that tone is heading.

“It was. But I-you do all know that I wanted to come back, yes?” Five asks and this time he really sounds like a child, his voice turning brittle.

Klaus feels out of his depth. Once again, these are little secrets of things that he should not be the one to hear. Maybe Vanya, or maybe no one, but he knows it shouldn’t be him on the receiving end of this. These little pockets of vulnerable truths that are locked away for no one to hear.

“You all know, right? You know that.” Five says again, a small bit of devastated desperation leaking into his voice that Klaus had never heard in the time growing up with him.

He pushes himself back into a straightened position on the chair, reaching forward and grabbing Five’s hand. His green eyes meet Five’s own gaze and he slightly squeezes the other’s hand in comfort.

“Five-look I uh-I’m not good at this okay? I’m not.” He smiles tightly. “I’m basically the biggest fuckup right? Very very stupid, I mean _some_ would say brilliant in my own way but-well. But even I know that you didn’t-you didn’t leave for that long on purpose. Okay? We all know, for sure. One hundred percent. I bet uh-I bet Vanya, the most of all, okay?” he assures with an exhale.

They stare at each other for too long, and it’s terrifying. To see that much vulnerability in Five’s eyes scares him. He doesn’t want to fuck this up, and break someone who is already so damaged but who hides it so well.

Scars still exist even if they fade.

Eventually Five averts his gaze, closing his eyes with a shuddery exhale. His hand is trembling in Klaus’ own grip before he softly tries to pull it away. Klaus lets him. Eventually Five does succumb to sleep, and Klaus can’t move from his spot in the chair. He doesn’t know why, but his thoughts just keep circling back to how much his family has failed one another. The tears start trickling down his cheeks before he even realizes what's happening. He tries to stay silent as he breaks down, leaving a wake of shuddery gasps as he takes up Five’s hand once again but with both of his hands this time. He clings to the appendage as the emotions finally spill over that he'd been trying hard to ignore and all he can think about is how unfair the world is.

How unfair, how unfair.

“And we’re failing you _right now_. God, _fuck._ ” He whispers with a watery rasp, scooting to the edge of his seat and slouching forward.

As he hangs his head, he watches his own teardrops drip and fall onto the floor with a quiet plop.

He blinks.

And he waits.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some of you asked for a Klaus point of view! I tried to deliver that while also adding onto the story as well. Thank you so much for the comments and feedback so far, you guys it really helps motivate me to write you have no idea.
> 
> Also I'm really not trying to make Five out of character. Believe me, I know how strong and how guarded he is. He is constantly shielding his personal feelings to make way for pragmatic solutions and hiding all that hurt under snark and productivity. Sometimes though, there are just bad moments where it's hard to throw up that wall, and I think a bit of that after a bad panic attack is realistic enough. Or at least I hope so! Im trying to find a balance between both but allowing a bit of that vulnerability through since we clearly saw signs of it in the show. Let me know though, I'll do my best to improve!
> 
> (Also no beta we die like men so I'm sorry if there are still mistakes. i'll try and comb through and edit them as I see them)


	3. In Hope I Do Trust

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Ben watches, and learns to hope

Ben watches as Klaus eventually falls asleep at Five’s side, the man slumping forward, half-sprawled on top of the bed. One of his hands still rests upon Five’s own, and the two sleep with dreams of ash, smoke, and the dead howling at their door. They have a lot in common, Ben thinks, not that Five would ever admit it. Perhaps Klaus finding him in that state though was one of the best people who could have, in the situation. Many of the other siblings wouldn't know what to do, and end up always leaving in frustration before they even make an attempt to help due to Five's prickly exterior.

Five pushes people away so harshly that it leaves them confused. But with Klaus…Klaus who has experienced loneliness, Klaus who has experienced isolation, Klaus who knows what the dead sound like. Klaus can only helplessly feel for someone who is hurting even more than he is. Klaus moved past his pain by smiling at everything, and learning to find the humor in all scenarios. By not giving a shit anyone or anything except for the things that make him feel good, that take the edge off. Five took _his_ pain and molded himself into a hardened killer. He didn’t have much of a choice, learning how to survive, but not how to live.

Ben, though he is dead, is more observant than most of his siblings. There’s plenty to look at when no one is looking at him after all. There’s a lot to see when no one thinks someone is looking. His dark brown eyes take in Five’s sleeping form, and he wonders why it had to be this way. He shifts in his seat at the edge of the bed to learn over, softly trying to brush away some strands of Five’s hair in his face. His touch doesn’t manifest. He misses touch. He misses discussing literature with Five. He misses having long drawn out conversations about the world and their purpose in it with Five. He misses Five. He does. Five was gone, and Ben felt like he had lost one of the anchors that had kept him steady. He was always a bit more reclusive, and it wasn’t as if he became close to Klaus until he died.

In a way, he resents Five. He hates that Five left him in such a way, all alone. He wishes that he himself would have spoken up, or that Vanya would have made Five more than just hesitate a little before he stormed off never to be heard from again.

He wishes he could have mattered enough for Five to have stayed.

It’s unfair to think now. At least he can see his family, as broken as it is. At least he can see some of them trying to make a genuine effort. Klaus and Five, he wants more than anything for them to just be okay. They have suffered more than an average person, though he supposes they were never average to begin with.

None of them were.

More than anything, Ben just wants to be able to touch his brother. To console him like Five had done for him in the past. He wants to brush back those infuriating strands of hair that have fallen out of place. He wants so many things, but they mainly all just revolve around being able to be with his siblings. To be able to help his siblings. It hasn’t even been an hour before Five lightly jerks in his sleep. Ben studies the other’s expression with interest, a frown pulling at his lips as he sees Five’s brow tight with tension. Five’s hands twitch, one unconsciously clutching tightly at the comforter’s fabric. An unbidden whimper softly falls from his lips as he turns his head in discomfort.

Surprisingly, that’s enough to wake up Klaus, who jerks upwards in his chair and almost falls backwards with the momentum. Clinging onto the bed, he blinks rapidly, trying to shake the sleep from his eyes with a soft groan. It looks likes he’s more than content to try and fall back asleep, a yawn tumbling from his lips as he props his head on his arms. Ben sighs, wishing sometimes Klaus wasn’t so difficult to work with, but beggars can’t be choosers. He loves his brother and has bonded with him in a way he might not have had he actually still been alive. Strange how that works out, though it didn’t mean Klaus wasn’t constantly exasperating, even lovingly.

He’s about to tell his half-asleep sibling to get up and pay attention, but a shaky groan from the still-unconscious Five already has the man jerking back upwards in alarm. His eyes suddenly bring on a clarity of recognition and he quickly scoots closer to Five in concern. Ben observes Klaus take in Five’s tensed posture even in sleep, one his tattooed hands slowly moving down to Five’s own and lightly releasing the other’s death grip on the sheets. It’s done with a tenderness that Ben sees rarely from his brother, but he’s glad Klaus is getting the chance to use it.

The man is surprisingly sweet underneath all of the…everything.

“Hey…” Klaus whispers, not actually wanting to wake up Five. “Hey, shhh…” he consoles softly, moving a hand to Five’s forehead, fingers brushing lightly over the furrow in the other’s brow.

Ben sighs in relief, feeling his heart grow satisfied as Klaus eventually brushes the chocolate coloured strands away from Five’s forehead. The sound draws Klaus’ attention to him, and Ben feels strangely embarrassed.

“They uh, they were bothering me. The hair was. I was half-tempted to wake you up.” He mutters with an awkward smile, turning his attention forcibly back to the window.

Klaus contemplated the silence, and Ben dreads the question he knows will come next.

“So uh, what was that about back there anyways? You seemed-I mean-You uhhh, wanted me to hug him for you?” Klaus asks softly, not wanting to wake Five in his attempts to let him sleep longer.

Clearly, he needed it.

“I…” he starts, already trailing off when his throat tightens in emotion. “I never got to say _goodbye_ to him Klaus.” He whispers, looking back to the one person who can hear him. “He was my best friend. We talked about books, and equations, and-everything-just everything. I was chatty with him, I knew in a way we understood each other. He was always there when I needed him. Yeah, we both struggled with words, with knowing how to-how to comfort each other. Especially me. I-even when he didn’t know what to say, he was always just there by my side. I never knew how to thank him for it.” He smiles sadly, wishing that he could cry, wishing he could feel the full expense of heartache he knows he’s experiencing now.

And that’s what eats at him the most, how hard Five _tried_ , even back then. Now that Ben has more than enough time to look back on those memories, he truly understands how much Five tried to be there for him in his own way. It was always hard for Five to connect with people. Luther wasn’t lying, Five did think he was usually better than most of them. Ben can’t really be mad at that assumption though, because as far as he’s concerned, it was actually true. It might still be really. Five, for as poised as he held himself back in the day, for as snarky and exasperated as he was even as a kid, he was also just as much considerate and kind.

On bad days, Five came to bother him. He’d ramble about his theories in quantum space travel, he’d show Ben equations upon equations he had written up. He gave Ben something to focus on. He’d lend Ben books that were usually by all accounts awful, as their father never let them read anything of the fantasy variety. They’d have talks past curfew, discussing the flaws and issues they found in the literature. On good days, they’d sneak out and eat donuts, sometimes with the other siblings if it was an even better day, and Five always made sure he came along if it was a group experience.

He never regretted a single outing he had been dragged along to.

Ben remembers on the especially quiet nights, the soft murmurs of Vanya and Five talking in his bedroom. The soft pluck of a violin string as Vanya would softly note out a melody she was working on. He remembers the soft timbre of Five’s voice as he murmured out his approval, the soft rustling of sheets as they read classical music theory together. Five was so smart, and he always went out of his way to speak the different languages that made his siblings the most comfortable. For Vanya, it was music. For Ben, it was books. Five pushed everyone away and kept them at a distance and yet tried so hard for his siblings. He acted above all of them but contradicted his statements and harsh words with considerate actions, and soft eyes. He tried to be there in the ways he could best communicate. And he was always there.

Until he wasn’t anymore.

“The book I was reading was actually something he had lent me. I wanted to talk about it after lunch with him. There are so many things that I…” he cuts himself off shaking his head.

Klaus remains silent, attention steadfast on him. It’s considerate, and almost endearing, but it’s also frightening. He hasn’t been addressed like this in a long time. He hasn’t been asked to elaborate on his feelings, on feelings that he can’t fully experience now that he’s dead.

“Now he’s back like he never left, a ghost…except I'm the ghost. I’m not here. I can’t talk to him. I can’t talk to him about the book I never finished. I can’t tell him it’s going to be alright. I can’t touch him and help fix his hair that always fall out of place if he’s been working on equations or warping. I can’t hug him.” He bites his lip. “I can’t _hug_ him. I want to talk to him, I have so much to finally tell him and say to him and I _can’t tell him._ ”

Klaus looks heartbroken for him, and Ben feels grateful that someone can feel the full extent of emotions on his behalf. With a sniff, Klaus clears his throat lightly, looking back down at Five.

“It’s okay Five. We’re here for you buddy.” Klaus whispers softly, locking his eyes with Ben’s and giving him a tight smile. “ _We’re_ here.” He soothes delicately.

Ben wants to cry.

A wave from Klaus signals his attention, the other sibling waving him over to come to the bedside. Ben removes himself from his seat near the window at the edge of the bed and makes his way around to the side of the bed right beside the two.

“Here, c’mon we’ve been practicing right?” Klaus murmurs, taking Five’s limp hand softly, rotating it delicately so the palm is facing up to them.

Ben can’t breathe, doesn't need to, but it feels like his heart stutters in his throat.

“Klaus, no.” he says in light denial, trying to stomp down the immediate and desperate spark of hope that just flooded his veins.

“Benny. C’mon.” Klaus urges, waving him forward. “C’mon, I know we can do it.” he says with a tight grin, trying his best to convey excitement even while trying to be quiet enough to not disturb Five.

Ben hesitates, his dark brown eyes taking in Five’s sleeping form in silence. He can still see a small furrow in the other’s brow, a worry that didn’t leave his sibling even in sleep. Ben nods to himself, resigning himself to try. He has to try. He huddles near the bed, looking down at Five’s hand. He swallows thickly, reaching out and trying to softly lay his hand on Five’s own. Klaus breathes deeply, a familiar blue glow softly enveloping his hands as his powers take effect. They had been practicing at this for a bit. It started with silly things like patty-cake and moved onto trying a multitude of other tasks. It was always very hit or miss, depending on Klaus’ mood and ability to concentrate, and most of the time it was a miss. Their victories were almost none, but Ben cannot help but hope foolishly that it would work.

He needed this to work.

As his fingers move to touch Five’s own, he is surprised and the feeling of soft fingertips against his own. His hand is solid, bigger than Five’s as he’s an adult now. Ben marvels as he interlocks his fingers with Five’s softly, wanting to break down and sob in relief that he can have contact with his brother. The touch of an actual person, the pulse against their wrist and the softness of their skin. Even if it’s only for a couple of seconds, a fleeting moment, he is happy.

“I’m here Five. I’m here, and I’ll never let you go again.” He whispers, choking down a cry. “I-I didn’t finish the book you gave me, it sucked anyways and I only wanted to talk-I only w-wanted to talk to you about it.” He struggles to talk, closing his eyes and squeezing their hands lightly together.

“I miss you.” He whispers.

“I _love_ you.” He says, hesitantly reaching out to touch his sleeping brother’s forehead, adjusting their strands back in place in a way that Klaus couldn’t manage and feeling so much love in his dead heart that he wonders if he's actually alive.

Amidst it all, Five’s expression smooths out into something peaceful, lashes fluttering against his cheekbones softly as he dreams.

He turns and is met with Klaus’ devastated expression. The admittance of love might have been a shock, an unexpected whiplash of emotion that blindsided the other. All Ben can do in return is smile. Smile in gratitude for giving him this chance. Smile because at least he got to say the most important thing he wanted to say after so long. He can smile through his heartbreak because for once, the most important words had come easy to him when he needed them to, even if the recipient was asleep.

“Thank you. _Thank you_ , Klaus.” He says, even as his fingers interlocked with Five suddenly go through the other’s body, his form turning back into a spirit.

He already misses it.

“I uh-it’s, it’s no problem buddy.” Klaus says with a watery smile, swallowing thickly in an attempt to not get carried away by Ben’s wave of emotions himself. “Sibling bonding is important in a healthy and stable family life after all!” He says with a grin, clearing his throat lightly as he runs a hand over the scruff of his face.

They are broken. They are damaged. They are scarred. But sitting here as the sunlight streams gently through the window, surrounded by his family, Ben has hope for the future.

He blinks.

And he smiles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's all she wrote for this one :') 
> 
> Thank you for the comments and support everyone. I wanted to test the waters by making a shorter fic like this. I have decided I'll make a longer one with a plot that will also be Five-centered! I hope you will stick around for that if you're interested. i can't tell you how much you taking the time to comment on the fic means to me though guys, it helped motivate me so much and it always helps me get the chapters out quicker.


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